


Got fire in my soul

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Coda, Gen, Spoilers, Steve is more stubborn than the multi-verse, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 05:01:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18631333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: Coda to Avengers Endgame *SPOILERS*Steve makes a pit-stop on the way to returning the reality stone. He knows it’s a stupid risk, but he figures he owes it to Tony to try.





	Got fire in my soul

Steve makes a pit-stop on the way to returning the reality stone. He knows it’s a stupid risk, but he figures he owes it to Tony to try. He decides it’s probably best to get straight to the point.

“The reality stone can change reality itself. Does that mean it can change the nature of how time-travel works in our reality?”

Loki looks up from his book, grins. “Well, this is interesting.”

“Could you do it? Change the nature of time-travel itself?”

“You must be truly desperate. Why should I? And why would you trust me to do it, even if I said I could?”

“I trust that you know what Thanos is capable of. He’s decided to snap the entire universe out of existence. So really you would be acting in your own self-interest.”

“And you expect me to just believe you?”

“Check my memories,” Steve says, taking a breath, focusing his mind on remembering the moment when Thanos said it, and hoping what Thor has told him about Loki only being able to read surface memories is accurate.

He feels a searing pain, and when he looks back up the amusement has been wiped from Loki’s face.

Loki takes a step closer to the cells edge, “So what’s your plan?”

“Can you make it so I can change my past and have it change in this time-line, this reality, instead of just creating an alternate time-line?”

“I assume you’ve been told this is impossible, because of paradoxes created- if you go back in time and cause your past self to die, you don’t live to go back in time and make it happen.”

“Can you do it or not?”

Loki stares at him for several seconds. “I can.”

“Will you?”

“Yes. A warning though, if you create a paradoxical event, reality will correct it; you will be frozen in that moment for all of time.”

Steve clenches his jaw. “Understood.”  

*

Steve goes to Kamar-Taj as an ordinary stranger seeking knowledge. (It’s years before he’s found in the ice so he knows he won’t be recognisable as Captain America). He suspects The Ancient One isn’t fooled, but he’s allowed to learn with the others and that’s what’s important.

He waits for a conversation about realities and time-lines and futures to come up on its own before he asks, “How many possible futures are there?”

The Ancient One looks from the time stone around her neck and then to Steve with a knowing glance. “Trillions.”

“And you can see them all?”

“No. The act of looking itself changes the futures. To have an accurate perception, you have to see all the futures you can in one go.”

“Oh. How many can you see?” 

“The most I’ve seen is ten million. You know someone who will see more.”

Steve nods. “Dr Strange saw fourteen million.”

“It’s an impressive feat.”

“I’m going to find a way to see more.”

 “It’s impossible.”

“Teach me. Please.”

“I see I’m not going to stop you. Very well.”

*

It’s Steve’s only focus. He spends weeks or months or years or decades. Life-times. And no time at all. He loses all track of it. But time has become his friend.

He pushes himself and stretches himself, but he never gets very far. (He’s gotten further than most). Six million futures. Seven million. Eight.

Eight million.

Eight million.

Eight million.

He can’t keep track of what he’s seen and what’s really happened. Can’t keep the futures from merging together in his head.

Everything falls away. He’s losing touch with his sanity. He’s stalled, not getting any further. And knows he’s just running out the clock until he admits defeat. He’s not a sorcerer after all. But he can’t give up.

He’s tired.

*

Then one day Steve comes down to dinner and proceeds to stare in shock. When The Ancient One told him they had a guest this evening, this was the last thing he was expecting. “Loki?”

Loki’s gaze turns to him, curious, “Sorry have we met?”

He looks so young, and though Steve can still see the mischief in his expression, it doesn’t have the dark-edged glint Steve remembers.

“No. No we haven’t.”

“Loki’s a fellow sorcerer. He sometimes comes to us to we can share our knowledge, see what each other has learned.”

Steve takes a moment to consider whether this is purely a coincidence or whether Loki knows more than he’s letting on.

“We have met,” Loki says suddenly, “Or we’re going to? You’re not from our time.”

Steve nods sheepishly, it seems the safest route.

“Why are you here?” Loki asks.

“To learn.”

“The truth. But not all of it.”

“I’m here because I need more time.”

“Steve has a great destiny on his shoulders,” the Ancient One says. And Steve has to stop himself from gritting his teeth.

“And you’re worried you won’t have enough time to prepare? I know the feeling. My brother is due to be crowned in a mere decade and I fear I do not have enough time to get him ready.”

Steve is momentarily startled by Loki’s openness, but he realises it’s probably a tactic to get Steve to be more open in return. “Ten years is a long time.”

“Not when you live five thousand.” 

“Loki isn’t from around here,” The Ancient One says.

Loki smiles. “What are you attempting? I may be able to help in your quest.”

Steve hesitates. He can’t trust Loki. Then again, this is clearly not the Loki he knows, and it’s not like Steve has to tell him everything. After all, having the help of a sorcerer of Loki’s skill level could be useful. And Steve’s really not doing so well on his own.

“I need to see as many futures as possible.”  

Loki grins. “This is going to be fun.”

*

Steve stands on Titan after Strange has seen the futures and asks, “May I? I want to find one where we win _and_ everyone survives.”

Dr Strange looks reluctant and resigned but hands the time stone over easier than Steve thought he would, “Even if one exists. You won’t be able to hold the spell long enough to find it.”

“Don’t worry,” Steve says, holding the stone carefully, as he lets the spell take him, looking into the futures, “I can do this all day.”  

 

 


End file.
